Dallas-based Lincoln Property Co.'s plans to carve out a hillside along American Legion Highway to make way for a 270-unit project failed to gain approval from the Boston Planning & Development Agency.

The rejection isn't permanent, but Lincoln will have to come back to the BPDA with an updated proposal that can solve some of the issues the agency has with the site, Universal Hub reported.

"The community has already expressed a desire for some level of conservation on the site," the BPDA wrote in its letter to the developer. "Further the proposed site design envisions swaths of surface parking and little usable open space for the anticipated residents. The topography has not been clearly rendered in perspectives, and it is not clear how much cut/fill is being utilized to create the proposed buildings."

The BPDA also pushed back on the amount of parking the project proposed, as it went against the agency's goal to limit parking to one space per unit for new projects. The development is planned to have 331 spaces, a reduction from the 415 the developer originally proposed.

Lincoln has planned to buy the parcel, known as Crane's Ledge Woods, from the Jubilee Christian Church in Mattapan. The property is next to a strip mall that is anchored by Walgreens and Stop & Shop.

The developer filed plans for the 14-acre site in 2021. The proposal calls for 270 units spread across nine two- and three-story buildings with amenities like an outdoor pool, open space for playgrounds and a dog park.

In August 2021, a petition for the preservation of Crane's Ledge garnered over 5,000 signatures, the Boston Globe reported. Residents familiar with the project signed an open letter to the BPDA citing issues with the project ranging from affordability to environmental issues like asthma.

The BPDA's rejections, while infrequent, often stem from criticisms raised by the community.

In September, the agency rejected a proposed life sciences project from GI Partners because of concerns associated with its proximity to residents, who argued it posed health and safety concerns.